April 21, 2008
Presenters
Mary Hensley, Ed.D.
Vice President,
College Support Systems
and ISD Relations
mhensley@austincc.edu
512-223-7618
Gary Madsen
P-16 Initiatives Director,
College Support Systems
and ISD Relations
gmadsen@austincc.edu
512-223-7087
Presenters
Luanne Preston, Ph.D
Executive Director,
Early College Start and
College Connection
luanne@austincc.edu
512-223-7354
Sharyl Kincaid
Executive Director,
Tech Prep Consortium
skincaid@austincc.edu
512-223-7720
Agenda


Mary Hensley (9:20-9:25)
 Closing the Gaps
•Early College Start
 HB I
•Early College High School Models
Gary Madsen (9:25-9:35)
• P-16 and Texas College
Readiness Standards and
College References Courses
•
•Luanne Preston (9:50-10:10)
Mary Hensley (9:35-9:50)
• College Connection
• Mobile Go Centers
•Sharyl Kincaid (10:10-10:20)
•Tech Prep
Mary Hensley (10:20-10:25)
•ACC Summer Programs for Students
•Group (10:25-10:30)
•Questions and Answers
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board’s
Strategic Plan
“Closing the Gaps”
Overview
Closing the Gaps

Closing the Gaps warns that if more Texans do not receive
college degrees by 2030, the State could lose up to $40
billion in annual household income.

The goal is to increase student enrollment in higher
education by 630,000 by 2015.

Most students will elect to start at a community college.

Austin Community College District expects 15,000
additional students by 2015.
Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/ClosingtheGaps/ctgtargets_pdf.cfm?Goal=1
House Bill 1 (HB1)

Passed by 79th Texas Legislature

Addresses public school finance, property tax relief,
accountability, etc.

Focuses on “Closing the Gap” goals

Aligns public education systems (P-16)
P-16 Standards and Courses
Phase I

College Readiness Standards
• THECB approved January 2008
• Approved standards can be viewed at:
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/collegereadiness/TCRS.cfm
• TEA Commissioner approved, January 2008.
• SBOE
• Approves TEKS; Texas K-12 curriculum
• Does not approve CRS
P-16 Standards and Courses
Phase 2

College Reference Courses
• Colleges submit reference course syllabi/materials
• Finalized May 2008
Texas College Reference Courses

Representing 89 Texas institutions

Nominated a total of 1205 courses

Taught by 968 faculty members
Course Subject
Course Numbers
Completed

English
ENGL 1301, 1302, 2332
49
History
HIST 1301, 1302
19
Government
GOVT 2301, 2302 or 2305, 2306
26
Biology
BIL 1406, 1408, 2401
36
Chemistry
CHEM 1405, 1412
17
Physics
PHYS 1401, 1405
10
Math
MATH 1314, 1324, 1342
46
Psychology
PSYC 2301
10
THECB P-16 Special Advisors

ACC THECB P-16 Special Advisors
• Mary Hensley, Ed.D
• Gary Madsen
• Provide assistance in obtaining information about entry-level
courses.
• Stay informed about statewide efforts to implement the collegereadiness standards and other P-16 initiatives.
• Keep faculty informed.
• Provide information to the THECB for two-way communication.
College Connection Program

Many high school students find the college
enrollment process intimidating.

Austin Community College District provides handson, one-on-one support to assist every senior through
each step of the college admissions process.
College Connection Program

Program is free to the school districts.

During graduation ceremonies, high school
graduating seniors receive acceptance letters to
Austin Community College District.
College Connection Growth
Over 4 years:
1
school district to
24 school districts

2 high schools to
55 high schools

400 students to
16,466+ students
National Interest
Florida

Launched state-wide
campaign in April 2007,
“Go Higher-Get
Accepted”

Modeled after College
Connection

http://files.facts.usf.edu/
GoHigher/go_high.htm
National Interest
Maine

Passed 2007 law
requiring graduating high
school seniors to
complete at least one
college application
before getting diploma.

Modeled after College
Connection

http://www.mainevotes.com/
2007-LD-1040
National Interest
College Connection Program Replicated In:








Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Florida
Hawaii
Maine
New Hampshire
Virginia
State Interest
“Attaining advanced levels of
education for disadvantaged
students cannot be done
without developing a collegegoing culture in every middle
school and high school in the
state of Texas...then
suddenly, (going to college)
changes from being a
possibility to an expectation.”
--Raymund Paredes
Commissioner, Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board
January 6, 2005
THECB Statewide
College Connection Expansion
2007-2009
•
Ten Colleges Receive $100,000 Implementation Grants
• Alamo Community College District
• Blinn College
• Del Mar College
• Houston Community College System
• Lee College
• Odessa College
• Richland College
• South Texas College
• Tarrant County College District
• Weatherford College
THECB Statewide
College Connection Expansion
2007-2009
•
Five Colleges Receive $5,000 Planning Grants
• Cedar Valley College
• Cisco Junior College
• Northeast Texas Community College
• Paris Junior College
• Victoria College
THECB Statewide
College Connection Expansion
•
Texas Colleges Already Adopting College
Connection
•
Alamo Community College District
•
Central Texas College
•
Coastal Bend Community College
•
Del Mar Community College
•
Houston Community College District
•
Temple Community College
•
Vernon College
•
Victoria Community College
Awards Received
• THECB Star
Award
• Excelencia in
Education
Award
Award Recipient
November 2006
• Bellwether
Award
Semi-Finalist
October 2006
Award
Recipient
January 2007
Related Initiatives

Mini-College Connection
for Adult Education

College Connection Scholarships
Austin Community College
College Connection Website
www.austincc.edu/isd

Access to scheduled
activities for students,
parents, and school officials

Calendars

Links to pertinent ACC
school district sites
ACC’s Two Mobile Go Centers

MGC #1

MGC #2

Equipped with:
 Length, 34 Feet
 Air-Conditioned
 14 Computer Stations
 Length, 42 Feet
 Air-Conditioned
 16 Computer Stations




Printers
Scanner
Copier
Satellite Internet
ACC’s Mobile Go Centers

Virtual one-stop,
college-information
facility






College catalog
Schedule information
College applications
FAFSA
Other
Staffed by ACC
personnel
ACC’s Mobile Go Centers

Support College Connection
program activities

Enable ACC to reach individuals
where they live, work, and/or
attend school
 Festivals
 Sports Events
 Supermarkets
 Shopping Malls
 Schools
 Other

www.austincc.edu/go
•
•
Dual Credit
Concurrent Enrollment
Dual Credit and
Concurrent Enrollment

Primarily academic transfer courses

ACC offers 149 courses in 45 high schools in 27 school districts

7,833 students in 27 school districts

1,700 plus enrollments every semester in ACC’s eight-county
service area

Record-Breaking Enrollments
• Summer ’07
3,218 students
(17% increase)
• Fall ’07
2,633 students
(14% increase)
• Spring ’08
2,874 students
(24% increase)
Early College Start

Umbrella concept for ways students can obtain
free/low-cost college credit while in high school
• Dual credit
• Co-enrollment
• Tech Prep/Credit-in-escrow

Pre-enrollment services delivered at high school
campus

ACC outreach program
How ECS Works
Dual Credit/Co-enrollment
Students:
 Demonstrate college-readiness via stateapproved tests

Meet all academic skills and college course
prerequisites

Follow the college process for enrollment –
services brought to high school campuses

Register via phone or web for ACC courses
How ECS Works
Dual Credit/Co-enrollment

ACC waives tuition and fees for in-district
students; charges $40 per-course fee for
out-of-district

Students complete classes; order college
transcript to send to high school (NEW –
grade release as part of approval)
Student Benefits

Provides free/low-cost college experience

Fulfills advanced measures for Texas’ Distinguished
Achievement Plan

Enhances seamless transition to college

Satisfies high school graduation requirement and
earns college credit (dual credit)
School District Benefits
ECS Offers:

Large range of college-level opportunities

College-level programs students not considering AP can
access

Classes not available in high school curriculum

Alternative to “wasted” senior year perception/criticism

Reduction in high school personnel units as more
students take college classes
Community Benefits

Makes college accessible and affordable

Supports “Closing the Gaps” state goal

Creates a college-going culture in high school

Increases college-going rate

Creates enrollments for college programs

Creates familiarity with merits and value of
community college
Advantages of ECS

Students gain a true college experience
• college academic content,
• typical college semester format (rather than over an entire
academic year)
• exposed to college professors who meet SACS standards
•
Students establish a college transcript
• credit in-hand upon successfully completing the college
course
• no additional testing needed
Advantages of ECS

Ease of transfer of college credit
• transfers seamlessly to public institutions in Texas
• transfers easily to Texas private institutions and out-of-state
public and private institutions
•
Maturing experience for students
• follow college enrollment process
• attend new student orientation
• learn the mechanics of going to college and college survival
skills
Why Do Austin Community College (ACC) and
School Districts Need to Partner?

Our constituencies overlap (parents, students, business
communities)

We have a common interest in raising educational
achievement levels
• Closing the Gaps applies to all of us
• Economic development depends on educated trained workforce

We have similar challenges
• Funding
• Accountability

We are stronger when we work together
Early College High Schools/
Middle Colleges

Goal
• Blend high school and college using small school
concept
• Small school concept
• Secondary and postsecondary partners take joint
responsibility for students
• Curriculum is carefully designed so that students
can earn a high school diploma while earning
college credit
Early College High Schools/
Middle Colleges

Key Characteristics
• Engages students in college-level course work
• Ensures that students graduate with a high school
diploma and an associate degree or 2 years of
transferable college credit
Early College High Schools/
Middle Colleges
• Provides access to college, important to
economically disadvantaged students
• Assumes that all students will complete a
postsecondary credential
• Often targets students who are underrepresented in
higher education
Early College High School

ACC developing models
• Crockett High School Model
• 25 students
•
Lockhart ISD Model
• School year, flexible entry
• 120 students

Students earn a year or more of college credit during high
school
What Is Tech Prep?

College Prep for Technical Careers

Based on the Recommended Graduation Plan

Begins a course of study in high school and continues
in a community or technical college

Combines the academic courses needed for success in
college AND technical courses that begin career
preparation
Key Components of Tech Prep

Federally funded by Carl Perkins Act through
THECB grant since 1991

Capital Area Consortium consists of ACC and 31
school districts in 9 counties

College courses taught at the high school level by
high school teachers using the college curriculum

College credit held “in-escrow” until students enroll
in college and complete one college credit course
Articulation Process

High school teachers meet with college faculty to get
college course information

College faculty provide syllabi, projects and textbook
info to high school teachers

If courses match, school district and ACC
administrators sign an articulation agreement

College faculty offer summer professional
development workshops for the high school teachers
Articulation Process

Students must complete an articulated class with at
least an 80

Teacher recommends (or not) students for credit

Student must enroll in ACC and complete at least one
college credit course to establish an ACC transcript

Articulated credit is awarded on ACC transcript.
CATEMA

Career and Technology Education Management
Application (CATEMA)

Online registration of Tech Prep students as they take
articulated classes in high school

Teachers recommend eligible students for college
credit
CATEMA uploads into Datatel

Once per semester Tech Prep staff upload students
from CATEMA into college Datatel system

Credit eligibility is verified and awarded on ACC
transcript
Capital Area College Tech Prep
Consortium Data
2006-07 School Year

9,351 high school students, grades 9-12 were enrolled
in 10,634 articulated classes

1,597 students enrolled in ACC and collected 6,504
hours of college credit
Summer 2008 Pre-Collegiate Programs

Summer Bridge
Programs
• Writing
• Reading
• Mathematics
Summer 2008 Pre-Collegiate Programs

Career exploration

Riverside and Eastview
Campuses

4-7th graders
• Automotive Technology
• Science and Math
• Building and Carpentry
• Health Sciences
• Forensic Science
• Creative and Analytical
Writing
• Robotics and
Nano-Technologies
• Sports
• Peer Mediation
Summer 2008 Pre-Collegiate Programs

Youth Camps
• 100+ Camps
• Ages 5 and above
• www.austincc.edu/camp
• Theater
• Ballroom Dancing
• Computer Game
Development
• Web Design
• Medical Terminology
• Photoshop
• SAT Test Prep
www.austincc.edu/isd/cclp/042108Presentation1.ppt